Articles
Here you will find a wide range of birding related articles from various organisations, conservation bodies as well as individual accounts of rare bird finds and other interesting articles.
 
Click on the More > link to read the article.
 
RBA Daily News Summaries - Daily summaries of the news on an easy to use, searchable page
 
 
Northern Ireland Hen Harriers down 22% in seven years   (Conservation News)
There are now 46 breeding pairs left in Northern Ireland - a fall of 22% since 2010, when there were 59 pairs - and the numbers are also declining elsewhere in the UK. More here >
Written by: RSPB (18 Jul 2017)
 
 
Book review and special offer: Waders of Europe   (Book review)
Andy Stoddart reviews this comprehensive, authoritative and beautifully illustrated new guide. Both beginners and seasoned wader watchers will find much of value here. More here >
Written by: Andy Stoddart (18 Jul 2017)
 
 
Seaside Sparrows caught between predators and rising seas   (Research)
Sea-level rise may be a big problem for saltmarsh birds, but so is predation, and birds sometimes find themselves caught between a rock and a hard place.
More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (13 Jul 2017)
 
 
Weekly birding roundup: 5 - 11 July   (Weekly Roundup)
Britain's 2nd Amur Falcon is found in Cornwall, Fair Isle's fascinating Phylloscopus lingers in the Obs garden whilst a Fea's (type) Petrel is videoed drifting past Berry Head in Devon.
More here >
Written by: Mark Golley (12 Jul 2017)
 
 
RSPB launch crowdfunder to rebuild hide destroyed in storm surge   (Conservation News)
The new hide designed by Biotope will be flood resilient, accommodate large numbers of people and have dedicated area for photographers.
More here >
Written by: RSPB (12 Jul 2017)
 
 
Scottish Osprey chicks arrive in Dorset for translocation   (Conservation News)
Eight Osprey chicks have safely arrived in Poole Harbour as part of a five year translocation project, aimed at re-establishing Osprey's on the south coast.
More here >
Written by: Birds of Poole Harbour (12 Jul 2017)
 
 
Finders-in-the-field: Pacific Swift, Cruden Bay, Aberdeenshire, July 2017   (Finders account)
Philip Bloor finds Scotland's first Pacific Swift at his local patch of four years, Cruden Bay in Aberdeenshire.
More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (07 Jul 2017)
 
 
Birds' migration genes are conditioned by geography   (Research)
Studies of Willow Warbler in Sweden, Finland and the Baltic States show that 'migration genes' differ, depending on where the birds breed in the summer.
More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (07 Jul 2017)
 
 
Praying mantises hunt down birds worldwide   (Research)
A study by zoologists from Switzerland and the US shows: praying mantises all over the globe also include birds in their diet.
More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (07 Jul 2017)
 
 
Mass poisoning kills 94 Critically Endangered vultures   (Wildlife crime)
Ninety four critically endangered White-backed Vultures have been reported dead after feeding on a poisoned elephant carcass recently in Zimbabwe.
More here >
Written by: BirdLife (07 Jul 2017)
 
 
British seabirds use area three times the size of Spain   (Research)
New research has identified the most important areas for Britain and Ireland's seabirds at sea, with the majority of 'hotspots' revealed in the coastal waters of Scotland. More here >
Written by: RSPB (07 Jul 2017)
 
 
£600,000 boost for rare wildlife on Orkney   (Conservation News)
Some of the UK's rarest wildlife has been given a big boost, it was announced, thanks to funding from Coastal Communities Fund, for an ambitious project on one of Orkney's islands. More here >
Written by: RSPB (07 Jul 2017)
 
 
Waders of Europe - a photographic guide   (Book Of The Week)
Our Book of the Week is the stunning new photographic guide by Lars Gejl. Through outstanding photography and concise, detailed text, Waders of Europe is indispensable for anyone interested in learning more about waders. More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (05 Jul 2017)
 
 
Weekly birding roundup: 28 June - 04 July   (Weekly Roundup)
A Pacific Swift in Aberdeenshire was the standout bird of the week. Other highlights included Bee-eaters possibly breeding Notts, Black-browed Albatross on the east coast plus we roundup the best from around the WP.
More here >
Written by: Mark Golley (05 Jul 2017)
 
 
Scotland keeps a welcome for Welsh Osprey   (Press report)
One of only two female Welsh Ospreys breeding successfully in the UK has hatched out two chicks in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.
More here >
Written by: RSPB (04 Jul 2017)
 
 
New call to ban diclofenac in Europe   (Press report)
Five European environmental organizations are re-launching a campaign to ban veterinary diclofenac in Europe.
More here >
Written by: BirdLife (04 Jul 2017)
 
 
Mexico to use dolphins to save critically endangered Vaquita Porpoise   (Press report)
Mexico announced plans recently to use trained dolphins to corral the last remaining Vaquita Porpoises into a protected breeding ground, a last-ditch bid to save the critically endangered species.
More here >
Written by: Phys.Org (04 Jul 2017)
 
 
Birdwatchers asked to keep a look out for the UK's rarest seabird   (Press report)
RSPB Scotland is asking birdwatchers to keep an eye out for Roseate Terns in the Firth of Forth this summer.
More here >
Written by: RSPB (01 Jul 2017)
 
 
Paradise saved: some of world's rarest birds rebound on Pacific islands cleared of invasive predators   (Press report)
Five remote Pacific islands are once again safe havens for four of our world's rarest bird species following the success of one of the most ambitious island restoration projects ever implemented.
More here >
Written by: BirdLife (01 Jul 2017)
 
 
Rare and exotic birds spotted at quarry site in Nottinghamshire   (Press report)
Several Bee-eaters have been found at a quarry in Nottinghamshire, raising hopes that they might breed.
More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (01 Jul 2017)
 
 
Weekly birding roundup: 21 - 27 Jun   (Weekly Roundup)
A stunning White-throated Needletail spent a few hours on Barra, Western Isles, the Elegant Tern popped up in Dorset plus Bee-eaters in Nottinghamshire and much more.
More here >
Written by: Mark Golley (28 Jun 2017)
 
 
ReWild: The Art of Returning to Nature   (Book Of The Week)
Our book of the week is ReWild: The Art of Returning to Nature by Nick Baker. A beautiful book and inspiring exploration of the art of returning to nature.
More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (27 Jun 2017)
 
 
UK Hen Harrier population suffers decline, according to latest figures   (Press report)
The latest Hen Harrier survey reveals a UK population in 2016 of 545 territorial pairs, a drop of 88 pairs since the last national survey in 2010.
More here >
Written by: RSPB (27 Jun 2017)
 
 
Teepees for tits bring bearded beauties to reedbed   (Press report)
Handmade reed wigwams have attracted Bearded Tits to nest at RSPB Old Moor nature reserve, in South Yorkshire, for the first time.
More here >
Written by: RSPB (27 Jun 2017)
 
 
Finders-in-the-field: White-throated Needletail, Barra, Western Isles, June 2017   (Finders account)
Bruce Taylor describes finding a truly stunning mega on the island of Barra in the Western Isles. More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (26 Jun 2017)
 
 
Why Do Bird Eggs Have Different Shapes? Look to the Wings   (Research)
In the most comprehensive study of egg shapes to date, scientists say that the best predictor of long or pointy eggs is a bird's flying ability.
More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (26 Jun 2017)
 
 
Birds' Feathers Reveal Their Winter Diet   (Research)
Researchers try a new approach for determining what Bobolinks eat after they head south for the winter, by analysing the carbon compounds in their plumage.
More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (25 Jun 2017)
 
 
Spoonbills breed in Yorkshire for the first time   (Press report)
Spoonbill, one of Britain's rarest breeding birds, has continued to break new boundaries after a pair nested for the first time in Yorkshire at RSPB Fairburn Ings.
More here >
Written by: RSPB (24 Jun 2017)
 
 
RSPB-DK Pocket Birds of Britain and Europe   (Book Of The Week)
Our book of the week is the RSPB-DK Pocket Birds of Britain and Europe (revised and updated 4th edition) by Jonathan Elphick & John Woodward.
More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (21 Jun 2017)
 
 
Weekly birding roundup: 14 - 20 Jun   (Weekly Roundup)
A hot midsummer week brought a stunning male Myrtle Warbler to Skokholm Island, while the Elegant Tern remained in West Sussex and there was a smattering of late spring arrivals.
More here >
Written by: Jon Dunn (21 Jun 2017)
 
 
Calls for UK businesses to distance themselves from grouse shooting   (Press report)
Ethical Consumer magazine's new campaign calls on all UK businesses to publicly distance themselves from corporate grouse shooting days.
More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (21 Jun 2017)
 
 
Record-breaking year as stilts breed at five UK sites   (Conservation News)
2017 is proving a bumper year for Black-winged Stilts with six pairs having bred in five different locations – a UK record.
More here >
Written by: RSPB (21 Jun 2017)
 
 
Wave and tidal energy study finds no long-term disturbance to wildlife   (Research)
Seabirds and Marine mammals will continue to use the waters around operational wave and tidal renewable energy devices.
More here >
Written by: Scottish Natural Heritage (21 Jun 2017)
 
 
New discovery: Cormorants can hear under water   (Research)
For the first time, researchers have shown that a marine birds can hear under water. This offers new possibilities for the protection of marine birds in trafficked waters. More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (20 Jun 2017)
 
 
Birds of all feathers work together to hunt when army ants march   (Research)
When army ants move out, a new study found that, instead of chasing each other away, birds work together to follow the column.
More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (20 Jun 2017)
 
 
Osprey translocation proposal agreed for Poole Harbour   (Conservation News)
The new project has been given the go ahead to take place in Poole Harbour this year as a first stage in establishing a south coast breeding population.
More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (20 Jun 2017)
 
 
Talking Birds: Jonathan Meyrav   (Talking Birds)
Mark speaks with Jonathan Meyrav, Israeli birder and one of the brains behind the Champions of the Flyway birdrace.
More here >
Written by: Mark Pearson (20 Jun 2017)
 
 
Weekly birding roundup: 7 - 13 Jun   (Weekly Roundup)
Another rare tern makes the headlines this week, elsewhere major new rarities were thin on the ground but there were still plenty of goodies on offer.
More here >
Written by: Jon Dunn (14 Jun 2017)
 
 
Nesting colony of Mascarene Petrel seen for first time   (Conservation News)
With the help of infrared binoculars, GPS and a heck of a lot of rappel rope, a team has managed for the first time to scale the sharp, inaccessible cliffs where the Mascarene Petrel nests. More here >
Written by: BirdLife (13 Jun 2017)
 
 
UK conservation first as godwits are released on the Fens   (Conservation News)
25 rare Black-tailed Godwits were released into their new home in the Cambridgeshire Fens yesterday [12 Jun] by conservationists from RSPB and WWT.
More here >
Written by: WWT (13 Jun 2017)
 
 
Finders-in-the-field: Elegant Tern, Hayling Island, Hampshire   (Finders account)
Andy Johnson finds an Elegant Tern on his patch at Hayling Island in Hampshire, the same colour-ringed bird in France has been proven, using DNA, to be a pure Elegant Tern. More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (13 Jun 2017)
 
 
Online Birders Celebrities & Artists Join Forces To Save British Wildlife   (Event)
A week long auction has begun for a one-off book containing 99 pieces of original art, to raise money for the BTO's Curlew Appeal and the UK Little Owl Project. More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (08 Jun 2017)
 
 
Emperor Penguins at Risk of Devastating Declines   (Research)
If projections for melting Antarctic sea ice through 2100 are correct, the vanishing landscape will strip Emperor Penguins of their breeding and feeding grounds and put populations at risk. More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (08 Jun 2017)
 
 
Talking Birds: Brett Richards   (Talking Birds)
In the third instalment of our regular new series of interviews with some of the most well known (and not so well known) birders from Britain and around the world, Mark talks to Brett Richards.
More here >
Written by: Mark Pearson (08 Jun 2017)
 
 
A Sparrowhawks Lament   (Book Of The Week)
Our book of the week is the new paperback edition of David Cobham's history of Britain's birds of prey.
More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (08 Jun 2017)
 
 
Peregrine chicks saved after parents found illegally killed   (Wildlife crime)
Three Peregrine falcon chicks, which were rescued from a nest in Shropshire after their parents were found dead, have found new foster homes.
More here >
Written by: RSPB (08 Jun 2017)
 
 
Weekly birding roundup: 31 May - 6 Jun   (Weekly Roundup)
Argyll and Bute birders score Scotland's third Sooty Tern. Also this week a perplexing Greenish Warbler sp. trapped and ringed at Portland, plus Black Scoter, Iberian Chiffchaffs, Black-eared Wheatear all feature.
More here >
Written by: Mark Golley (07 Jun 2017)
 
 
RSPB Bempton Cliffs - one of the best   (Conservation News)
Media giant, AOL, reported that the East Yorkshire coast attraction was ranked number five in their Top Ten list of Trip Advisors’ best-rated natural outdoor attractions.
More here >
Written by: RSPB (06 Jun 2017)
 
 
Finders-in-the-field: Sooty Tern, Uisaed, Argyll and Bute, June 2017   (Finders account)
Machrihanish Seabird Observatory warden, Eddie Maguire, describes finding Scotland's third ever Sooty Tern.
More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (05 Jun 2017)
 
 
Tiny bird drives huge changes   (Conservation News)
One of the world's largest expanses of mudflats now has special protection thanks to one tiny bird: the Spoon-billed Sandpiper.
More here >
Written by: WWT (02 Jun 2017)
 
 
Puffin pictures wanted to help conservation efforts   (Conservation News)
This summer RSPB Scotland is asking visitors to Puffin colonies around the UK and Ireland to play a vital role in an innovative project aimed at helping Puffin conservation. More here >
Written by: RSPB (02 Jun 2017)
 
 
Scottish government to take action on driven grouse shooting follwing 'damning' report   (Conservation News)
Roseanna Cunningham MSP has announced the setting up of an independent enquiry into gamebird shoot licensing, a move welcomed by RSPB Scotland.
More here >
Written by: RSPB (02 Jun 2017)
 
 
Spurn MigFest 2017 - Tickets Now on Sale   (Event)
The Spurn MigFest has very quickly established itself as one of The birding events in the British birding calendar and tickets for this year's event have gone on sale. More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (01 Jun 2017)
 
 
Weekly birding roundup: 24 - 30 May   (Weekly Roundup)
A Two-barred Greenish Warbler on Foula becomes Britain's first spring record and 1st since the BOU adopted the IOC taxonomy. There's late news of a Lesser Kestrel, Red-foots galore, WP roundup and much more. More here >
Written by: Mark Golley (31 May 2017)
 
 
House Martins slow to return to breeding sites   (Conservation News)
It's possible that the cold, dry weather and prolonged northerly winds across much of the country during April held them up and stifled the start of breeding activity.
More here >
Written by: BTO (31 May 2017)
 
 
Review: Spurn Review: Spurn Wildlife 2016   (Book review)
Andy reviews the latest annual report from the Spurn Bird Obs team. With in-depth coverage of the best birds including the Siberian Accentor it will be of interest to many well beyond Yorkshire.
More here >
Written by: Andy Stoddart (26 May 2017)
 
 
Cattle Egrets breeding in Cheshire   (Conservation News)
The RSPB have confirmed that Cattle Egrets are breeding at their Burton Mere Wetlands reserve in Cheshire.
More here >
Written by: RSPB (25 May 2017)
 
 
The Australian Bird Guide   (Book Of The Week)
With specially commissioned paintings of over 900 species on almost 250 plates, this book is the most comprehensive field guide to Australian birds ever published.
More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (24 May 2017)
 
 
Britain's Spiders - a field guide   (Book Of The Week)
A new guide from the team at WildGuides with over 300 stunning photographs, maps and charts showing distributions and a complete list of the spiders recorded in Britain.
More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (24 May 2017)
 
 
Migratory seabird deaths linked to hurricanes   (Research)
A new study has shown that migrating Sooty Terns are threatened by hurricane-force winds and storms, which are predicted to increase with climate change.
More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (24 May 2017)
 
 
Weekly birding roundup: 17 - 23 May   (Weekly Roundup)
Am untypical mid-May week where the weather prevented the usual big rares we might expect at this time of year. In Cheshire we got confirmation that Cattle Egrets are breeding this year.
More here >
Written by: Mark Golley (24 May 2017)
 
 
90+ Critically Endangered vultures poisoned   (Wildlife crime)
At least 94 African White-backed Vultures were found dead around a poisoned elephant carcass on the Zimbabwe-Mozambican border, one more victim of the rampant poaching for ivory.
More here >
Written by: VCF (23 May 2017)
 
 
New Zealand's mainland Yellow-eyed Penguins face extinction   (Research)
Iconic Yellow-eyed Penguins could disappear from New Zealand's Otago Peninsula by 2060, latest research warns. Researchers call for coordinated conservation action. More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (23 May 2017)
 
 
Rosier future for world's rarest duck   (Conservation News)
The Madagascar Pochard, the world's rarest duck, has a rosier future after the Government of Madagascar pledged to protect the wetland earmarked as its new home.
More here >
Written by: WWT (23 May 2017)
 
 
New refuge brings hope for the Cherry-throated Tanager   (Conservation News)
A newly-created reserve will ensure that one of these fragments, along with the six globally-threatened birds it harbours, will endure for the foreseeable future.
More here >
Written by: BirdLife (23 May 2017)
 
 
Talking Birds: Jonny Rankin   (Talking Birds)
Mark Pearson interviews Jonny Rankin, who for the last few years, has been undertaking gruelling physical challenges to raise money and shine a spotlight on the catastrophic decline of the Turtle Dove.
More here >
Written by: Mark Pearson (23 May 2017)
 
 
Weekly birding roundup: 10 - 16 May   (Weekly Roundup)
A visit to Yorkshire by the North Sea's wandering Black-browed Albatross, a Baltimore Oriole in Ireland and a few more days stay for the Red-winged Blackbird plus lots more.
More here >
Written by: Mark Golley (17 May 2017)
 
 
Vultures smear their faces in red mud which they use as makeup   (Research)
Egyptian Vultures have been filmed putting on make-up for the first time, a rare phenomenon in birds, known as cosmetic colouration. More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (16 May 2017)
 
 
Conservation partnership launches floating islands in bid to save rare duck   (Press report)
An unprecedented partnership of organisations from industry and the conservation sector has come together in a bid to save the common scoter as a breeding bird in the Highlands of Scotland. More here >
Written by: RSPB (16 May 2017)
 
 
Second discontinued prosecution for alleged raptor persecution offences   (Wildlife crime)
RSPB Scotland has expressed its frustration and disappointment after another prosecution of an individual charged with alleged wildlife crime offences was discontinued by the Crown Office in Scotland. More here >
Written by: RSPB (16 May 2017)
 
 
Major breakthrough in attempt to unlock secrets of ultra-elusive seabird   (Press report)
A BirdLife Pacific team has managed to capture and tag a Beck's Petrel, one of the world's rarest and least-known birds and it's hoped it will lead them to its still-unknown breeding grounds. More here >
Written by: BirdLife (15 May 2017)
 
 
Talking Birds: Andy Roadhouse   (Talking Birds)
In a regular new series, Mark James Pearson talks to the good and the great of the birding world. This week we have an interview with Andy Roadhouse. More here >
Written by: Mark Pearson (13 May 2017)
 
 
Fenland chicks good for godwits   (Press report)
In a UK first, 26 fluffy black-tailed godwit chicks have been hatched by conservationists in the Fens this week. The rare chicks will be hand-reared until they are strong enough to be released back into the wild. More here >
Written by: RSPB (13 May 2017)
 
 
There and back again: satellite tagged Turtle Dove returns home   (Press report)
East Anglian Turtle Dove becomes only the second to have its migratory route mapped from the UK to West Africa and back. More here >
Written by: RSPB (13 May 2017)
 
 
Wonderland: A Year of Britain's Wildlife Day by Day   (Book Of The Week)
A life-affirming nature diary, with something amazing to see and experience on every day of the year. Distilling two lifetimes' knowledge, insight and enthusiasm, naturalists Brett Westwood and Stephen Moss take you through the year, day by day.
More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (10 May 2017)
 
 
Weekly birding roundup: 03 - 09 May   (Weekly Roundup)
The Red-winged Blackbird remained this week, with new discoveries including Spectacled Warbler and Slate-coloured Junco. Read the full roundup here.
More here >
Written by: Mark Golley (10 May 2017)
 
 
Wildlife of Ecuador: A Photographic Field Guide to Birds, Mammals, Reptiles, and Amphibians   (Book Of The Week)
An essential all-in-one guide to mainland Ecuador's amazing wildlife with a unique and attractive layout and more than 400 stunning colour photos. Covers more than 350 of the most frequently seen birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.
More here >
Written by:  (09 May 2017)
 
 
Record-breaking 120,000 Ruffs counted in Belarus   (Press report)
Turau Meadow in Belarus is usually an important stopover for Ruffs, but this year the impressive numbers broke records in the country. More here >
Written by: BirdLife (09 May 2017)
 
 
England's first 'Swift City' takes flight   (Press report)
To help reverse the decline in swift numbers and nesting sites Europe's biggest conservation charity has teamed up with nine partners to launch England's first 'Swift City' in Oxford. More here >
Written by: RSPB (08 May 2017)
 
 
Swans unfairly singled out for yobbish behaviour   (Press report)
Mr Asbo and other headline-grabbing swans may be being unfairly stigmatised according to the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), which is behind the world's largest study of aggression among birds. More here >
Written by: WWT (07 May 2017)
 
 
New species of Antbird discovered in Peru   (Blog Roundup)
Last July a new species of Antbird was discovered in Peru by Josh Beck. The bird has been seen on a few subsequent occasions, including by Gunnar Engblom and we have extracts from his blog about this fantastic discovery. More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (07 May 2017)
 
 
Calling all young birders   (Event)
As part of the Spurn Bird Observatory 2017 Migration Festival, the observatory, the Next Generation Birders (NGB) and the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) are once again running a competition to find the Martin Garner Spurn Young Birder of The Year. More here >
Written by: BTO (06 May 2017)
 
 
Tracking Devices Reduce Warblers' Chances of Returning from Migration   (Research)
Although tracking devices can provide information that can help declines of vulnerable species, a new study has shown that these data can come at a cost. More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (06 May 2017)
 
 
Alleged illegal killing of a protected Hen Harrier   (Press report)
Court proceedings against a former gamekeeper, accused of shooting a Hen Harrier, have been dropped by the Crown Office, who have indicated that they could not use RSPB Scotland video evidence to support the prosecution in court. More here >
Written by: RSPB (05 May 2017)
 
 
Record breaking numbers of migrant birds arrive on Tiree   (Press report)
A record breaking 2,270 Black-tailed Godwits have arrived on the Isle of Tiree this spring, the highest number thought to have ever been counted in Scotland at one time. More here >
Written by: RSPB (03 May 2017)
 
 
A Photographic Field Guide to the Birds of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh   (Book Of The Week)
Covers all 1,375 subcontinental bird species. Features more than 4,000 stunning photos to aid quick field id. Includes up-to-date facing-page text and range maps. Contains concise descriptions of plumage, voice, habitat, and much more.
More here >
Written by:  (03 May 2017)
 
 
Weekly birding roundup: 26 Apr - 02 May   (Weekly Roundup)
Again this week the highlight was an American passerine on the Northern Isles, Britain's first Red-winged Blackbird on Orkney. Pallid Harriers also continue to make headlines amongst much more...
More here >
Written by: Mark Golley (03 May 2017)
 
 
Finders-in-the-field: Red-winged Blackbird, North Ronaldsay, Orkney Apr 2017   (Finders account)
We hear from Simon Davies at North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory on the amazing find of Britain, Ireland and the Western Palearctic's first Red-winged Blackbird!
More here >
Written by: Simon Davies (02 May 2017)
 
 
Linescapes   (Book Of The Week)
Hugh Warwick unravels the far-reaching ecological consequences of the lines we have drawn: as our lives and our land were being fenced in and threaded together, so wildlife habitats have been cut into ever smaller, and increasingly unviable, fragments.
More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (02 May 2017)
 
 
Former drug users turn conservationists to save the Philippine Eagle   (Press report)
Former drug users, indigenous people and conservationists form an unlikely team for the noblest of causes: restore the forest where the Haring Ibon lives. And it's a success.. More here >
Written by: BirdLife (01 May 2017)
 
 
45 per cent of Arctic shorebirds are disappearing - here's the plan to save them   (Press report)
Across the globe, 45 per cent of Arctic nesting shorebirds are decreasing. The Pacific Americas Shorebird Conservation Strategy aims to identify the threats and develop strategies to save them. More here >
Written by: BirdLife (01 May 2017)
 
 
Seabird parents compensate for struggling partners   (Research)
Researchers have found that the time pairs of Guillemots spend preening each other provides a way for the two birds to exchange information about how they are doing. More here >
Written by: Rare Bird Alert (29 Apr 2017)
 
 
Skydancer from Russia with love   (Press report)
As a male Pallid Harrier has taken up residence in Bowland, we hear from the RSPB's James Bray with the following from their blog. More here >
Written by: RSPB (29 Apr 2017)
 
 
RSPB opens hotline to locate the UK's rarest breeding birds of prey   (Press report)
The RSPB is encouraging farmers, birdwatchers and walkers to keep a look out for Montagu's harriers, the UK's rarest breeding bird of prey, as they begin this year's breeding season. More here >
Written by: RSPB (28 Apr 2017)
 
 
Weekly birding roundup: 19 - 25 Apr   (Weekly Roundup)
The highlight of the week was undoubtedly Britain's 12th Hermit Thrush found on Shetland. Ireland hosts only it's 3rd ever Black Stork plus we have a full roundup of the best from the WP.
More here >
Written by: Mark Golley (26 Apr 2017)
 
 
Loch Garten Osprey buried in snow incubating eggs   (Conservation News)
The late April cold snap that has brought snow to Scotland and the North of England sees RSPB Loch Garten's, EJ, incubating her eggs as the snow keeps falling! More here >
Written by: RSPB (25 Apr 2017)
 
 
Last stronghold of Scotland's iconic Capercaille at threat from huge housing development?   (Conservation News)
RSPB Scotland is seeking assurances a new housing development planned for the Highlands, that would roughly double the size of Aviemore, will not harm Capercaillie. More here >
Written by: RSPB (24 Apr 2017)
 
 
Finders-in-the-field: Hermit Thrush, Noss NNR   (Finders account)
Noss National Nature Reserve warden Craig Nisbet was back on the island for his fourth year and the 2017 season started with a bang!
More here >
Written by: Craig Nisbet (24 Apr 2017)
 
 
The Peregrine (50th Anniversary Edition)   (Book Of The Week)
Reissue of J. A. Baker's extraordinary classic of British nature writing, with an exclusive new afterword by Robert Macfarlane.
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Written by: Rare Bird Alert (19 Apr 2017)
 
 
Weekly birding roundup: 12 - 18 Apr   (Weekly Roundup)
The male Rock Thrush remained on Scilly but the find of the week was undoubtedly Suffolk's first American Herring Gull. Somerset birders were treated to a Two-barred Crossbill whilst in Ireland a Squacco Heron and Kentish Plover made the headlines.
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Written by: Mark Golley (19 Apr 2017)
 
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